Authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938, Berlin Lake is one of 16 flood damage reduction projects in the Army Corps’ Pittsburgh District. The project provides flood protection for the Mahoning River Valley as well as for the Beaver and Upper Ohio Rivers.
Since its completion in 1943, the Berlin Lake project has prevented flood damages estimated to be in excess of $2.6 billion. The project has the capability to store the equivalent run-off of 6.9 inches of precipitation from its 249 square mile watershed.
The project also provides downstream communities with a clean and dependable water supply and has helped to alleviate pollution problems throughout the Mahoning River Valley.
Additionally, Deer Creek Dam, which was built by the city of Alliance, Ohio, under agreement with the Department of the Army, provides a reservoir for domestic water supply to nearby communities.